Santa Claus Conchas Donuts
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Traditional Mexican sweet bread conchas recipe with a Christmas twist. Donuts topped with marzipan hat, vanilla frosting finishes, and a sweet sugar paste beard. From SouthernFATTY.com.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 12 donuts
Ingredients
Conchas Sweet Bread Donuts
  • ½ cup warm water (110 F)
  • 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg, large
  • 4 cups flour, all purpose (AP)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
Sugar Paste
Marzipan for Hats
Decorating Frosting
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Conchas
  1. In mixer bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Stir lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add milk, cream, sugar, salt, butter, egg, cinnamon.
  3. Mix well.
  4. Add flour in a few batches and mix with dough hook on medium speed for about 6 minutes until elastic and smooth.
  5. Grease clean bowl and transfer bread dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in warm place to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Sugar Paste
  1. Make the sugar paste while the bread is in its first rise.
  2. Combine butter and sugar and beat with mixer until light and fluffy.
  3. Add flour and vanilla and beat until thick.
  4. Roll to about ¼" thickness on lightly floured surface.
  5. Cut out circles of about 3 inches in diameter. Split each circle in half. This will create the beard.
Conchas (cont.)
  1. Remove dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. I highly recommend weighing the dough with a quality kitchen scale for precision. Cover dough while dividing and rolling with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying it out.
  2. With each ball, roll completely until very smooth and even. Place balls on a paper lined or silicone mat covered baking sheet. Keep the balls several inches apart. I used two baking sheets for the total recipe.
  3. Place a half circle on half of each dough ball. Score them with a kitchen knife lightly.
  4. Place greased plastic wrap over the rolls and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
  6. Bake until the rolls are golden, about 20-25 minutes.
  7. Remove and cool completely.
Marzipan Hats
  1. Combine almond paste and powdered sugar in food processor. Pulse until fine crumbles.
  2. Mix coloring with syrup and then add to the almond mix. Blitz until well combined.
  3. Remove and knead until smooth and color completely distributed.
  4. Roll to ⅛-1/4" thickness on a silicone baking mat (for easy removal) and cut out triangles to fit the cooked roll diameter.
Finishing
  1. Finish by placing marzipan hat, piping decorating frosting (sift and combine ingredients and mix well), and enjoy!
  2. Happy holidays, y'all. Find more recipes on SouthernFATTY.com.
Notes
Conchas recipe adapted from AllRecipes.
Recipe by Southern FATTY at https://www.southernfatty.com/santa-claus-conchas-donuts/